SRI BALADEVA KI JAYA

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

 

 

PAMHO, AGTSP

 

 

 

Appearance day of Lord Balaram on Wednesday 9 August. Fasting till evening

then break fast with Ekadasi type Prasadam. The Lord can be offered grains.

Celebrating all day. All I have done is copy the pastimes and forward the

same as I don't have the qualifications please forgive me for any offense

that I may have caused due to my condition.

 

 

 

SRI BALADEVA KI JAYA

 

Your servant in mission of Srila Prabhupada

 

Nanda Gopal Dasa

 

APPEARANCE

 

Sri Baladeva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. He is equal in

supremacy to the Supreme Godhead, yet wherever Krishna appears, Sri Baladeva

appears as Krishna's brother, sometimes elder, sometimes younger. In his

vaibhava-prakasa feature, Lord Krishna manifests Himself as Balarama. The

Balarama feature is as good as Krishna Himself, the only difference being

that the bodily hue of Krishna is dark and that of Balarama is fair. These

two Lords, Krishna and Balarama, are each the seed and womb of the universe,

the Creator and His Creative potency. They enter the hearts of living beings

and control their conditioned awareness. They are the primeval supreme.

(Appreciating Sri Vrdavana Dhama)

 

Yogamaya transferred Ananta Sesa (Balarama) from the womb of Devaki to the

womb of Rohini. Seven months later during the most auspicious moment in

Sravana month, Rohini, just like a lioness gave birth to Lord Balarama

feeling all happiness. His complexion was just like a white lotus flower and

He looked like the full moon. His eyes were brilliant like lightning flashes

and his hair was the color of a new cloud yet brilliant like the sun. Such

extraordinary beauty prevailed because He was none other than the Lord

Sankarsana. Astrologers said that He would have long arms and kill

Pralambasura; that He would have a younger brother and kill many other

demons. They said He is Dhenupal, the protector of cows an the killer of

Dhenekasura. The brahmanas under Vasudeva's order performed the jata karma

samskara ceremony. Though He was extremely beautiful, everyone was extremely

anxious because He was mute and inactive. No one could get Him to make a

sound or move. Once when Yasoda was pregnant, she picked Him up and

carefully placed Him on her lap next to her heart where Krishna was

residing, Balarama immediately began to laugh and play like a blissful

child. But when Yasoda would set Him down, again he would become inactive.

He remained in this condition until the appearance of His younger brother

(Krishna). (Sri Vrndavana Dhama, Newsletter, Janmastami 1993, pg. 6)

 

 

 

CHILDHOOD

 

During their formative years Sri Balarama and his younger brother Sri

Krishna played and acted just like normal cowherd boys except for the events

brought about by the unkind acts of certain demons these extraordinary

activities were played out for the enjoyment and salvation of jivas in the

material world. Krishna and his brother Balarama passed the childhood age

known as kaumara and stepped into the age known as paugunda, from the sixth

year up to the tenth.

 

At that time all the cowherd men conferred and agreed to give those boys who

had passed their fifth year charge of the cows in the pasturing ground.

Given charge of the cows, Krishna and Balarama traversed Vrndavana,

purifying the land with Their footprints. Accompanied by the cowherd boys

and Balarama, Krishna herded the cows and played on His flute through the

forest of Vrndavana, which was full of flowers, vegetables, and pasturing

grass. The Vrndavana forest was sanctified as the clear mind of a devotee

and was full of bees, flowers and fruits. There were chirping birds and

clear lakes with waters that could relieve one of all fatigue.

Sweet-fragranced breezes blew always, refreshing the mind and body. Seeing

the favorable situation, Krishna, Balarama, and Their cowherd friends

entered the forest and enjoyed the atmosphere to the fullest extent. Krishna

saw that all the trees, overloaded as they were with fruits and fresh twigs,

were bending down to touch the ground as if welcoming Him by touching His

lotus feet. He was very pleased by the behavior of the trees, fruits and

flowers, and, He began to smile, realizing their desires.

 

Krishna then spoke to Balarama as follows; "My dear brother, You are

superior to all of us, and Your lotus feet are worshipped by the demigods.

Just see how these trees, full of fruits, have bent down to worship Your

lotus feet! It appears that they are trying to get out of the darkness of

being obliged to accept the form of trees. Actually, the trees born in the

land of Vrndavana are not ordinary living entities. Having held the

impersonal point of view in their past lives, they now have the opportunity

of seeing you in Vrndavana, and they are praying for further advancement in

spiritual life through Your personal association.

 

"The herbs, creepers, and grass are also fortunate to touch Your lotus feet.

And by Your touching twigs with Your hands, these small plants are also made

glorious. As for the hills and rivers, they too are now glorious because You

are now glancing at them. Above all, the damsels of Vraja, the Gopis,

attracted by Your beauty, are most glorious, for You embrace them with Your

strong arms."

 

In this way Krishna and Balarama enjoyed in the forest of Vrndavana to Their

fullest satisfaction, along with the cows and the cowherd boys Once the

cowherd friends of Krishna and Balarama told Them, "In the Talavan forest

many fruits are falling from the trees, and many are lying on the ground.

But all the fruits are being guarded by the evil Dhenuka. O Rama! O Krishna!

Dhenuka is a most powerful demon in the form of an ass. He is surrounded by

many friends who have assumed similar shapes and who are just as powerful as

he. Dhenuka has eaten men alive, and therefore all people and animals are

terrified of going to the Tala forest. O killer of the enemy, even the birds

are afraid to fly there. In the Tala forest are sweet-smelling fruits no one

has ever tasted. Indeed, even now we can smell the fragrance of the tala

fruits spreading all about. O Krishna! Please get those fruits for us. Our

minds are so attracted by their aroma! Dear Balarama, our desire to have

those fruits is very great. If you think it's a good idea too, let's go to

that Tala forest."

 

Hearing the words of Their dear companions, Krishna and Balarama laughed

and, desiring to please them, set off for the Tala forest surrounded by

Their cowherd boyfriends. Lord Balarama entered the Tala forest first. With

His arms he began shaking the trees with the power of a maddened elephant,

causing the tala fruits to fall to the ground. Hearing the sound of the

falling fruits, the ass demon Dhenuka ran to attack Balarama, making the

earth and trees tremble. The powerful demon rushed up to Lord Balarama and

sharply struck His chest with the hooves of his hind legs. Then Dhenuka

began to run about, braying loudly.

 

Again the furious ass rushed toward Balarama and situated himself with his

back toward the Lord. Then screaming in rage, the demon hurled his hind legs

toward Him. Lord Balarama seized Dhenuka by his hooves, whirled him about

with one hand, and threw him into the top of a palm tree. The violent

wheeling motion killed the demon. Lord Balarama threw the dead body of

Dhenukasura into the tallest palm tree in the forest, and when the body

landed in the treetop the tree began shaking. The great palm tree first

caused a tree by it's side to shake, and then it broke under the weight of

the demon. As the second tree shook it caused a third one to shake. In this

way a chain reaction was created, and many trees in the forest shook and

broke.

 

Thoroughly enraged by the death of Dhenuka, the remaining ass demons ran to

attack Krishna and Balarama. As the demons attacked, Krishna and Balarama

easily seized them one after another by their hind legs and threw them all

into the tops of the palm trees. (Krishna Book)

 

MATURITY

 

After defeating the king Jarasandha several times, Krishna decided to move

His family from the city of Mathura to an unconquerable fortress in the sea,

known as Dwarka. After moving His family, Krishna and Balarama pretended to

be afraid of Jarasandha and fled to mount Pravarsana. Jarasandha chased the

Lords up said mountain, but unable to find them he set the mountain on fire.

In order to avoid the fires, Lord Krishna and Balarama jumped some

eighty-eight miles to the ground.(Krishna Book)

 

********************

 

In another instance Lord Balarama was challenged to play chess with a

demoniac in-law of His, Rukmi. On the advice of the King of Kalinga, Rukmi

challenged Lord Balarama to play chess for various wagers. Knowing that Lord

Balarama, in this particular rasa, was not the most adept of chess players,

the two sought this opportunity to make fun of Lord Krishna and Balarama.

The first two games were played for 1,000 and 10,000 gold pieces

respectively and Lord Balarama was the loser in each game, but the third

game was for 100,000 gold pieces. Fortunately Lord Balarama was the winner,

but the sinful Rukmi attempted to cheat the Lord and claim that he was the

winner. This angered Balarama so He made another wager of one hundred

million coins. Again Lord Balarama was the victor and again Rukmi attempted

to cheat the Lord. This time there was a voice from the sky that stated that

according to the rules of chess, Lord Balaram was the winner. Still Rukmi

persisted that he was the winner and insulted the Lord with artful words. At

this time Lord Balarama became very angry and summoned His mace, Sunanda,

and smashed Rukmi on the head killing him with one blow. Lord Balarama also

took this opportunity to capture the fleeing King of Kalinga who feared for

his life. Balarama used His mace to smash the teeth of the king because he

was always showing them while criticizing the Lord. Balarama also captured

all the princes who supported the king and beat them with His club, breaking

their hands and legs. (Krishna Book)

 

It was during one of these evenings of Lord Balarama's rasa-lila that He was

accosted by the terrible gorilla Dvivida. This Dvivida was as strong as

10,000 elephants and the friend of a demon killed by Lord Krishna . He

sought to cause harm to Lord Krishna and all those dear to Him. Dvivida

happened upon Lord Balarama during an evening of the Lords pleasure. He

insulted the Lord and His gopis, and sought to fight with Him. Balarama

being angered by the demon's activities engaged Dvivida in combat and after

leveling a mountain and a forest killed the demon with His bare hands.

(Krishna Book)

 

********************

 

Shortly thereafter Lord Balarama returned home to Dwarka. There was then an

incident where His nephew, Samba, was kidnapped. The family patriarch, King

Ugrasena, called for retaliation. Seeing the family preparing for a fight,

Balarama pacified them in order to avoid conflict between the Yadu and Kuru

dynasties. He then went to the Kaurava household where He expressed King

Ugrasena's demand for Samba's return. They became very angry, insulted

Balarama and the Yadu dynasty, and then returned to their city. Balarama

decided to punish them all. He took His plow, intending to rid the earth of

all the Kurus, and began dragging their city of Hastinapura toward the

Ganges. Seeing that their city was in eminent danger, they quickly returned

Samba. They then prayed, "O Lord, please forgive us, who are truly ignorant

of Your true identity". Feeling appeased Balarama assured them He would not

harm them, and returned home with Samba. (Krishna Art, plate 151)

 

********************

 

There was once an incident where in order to marry Balarama and Krishna's

sister Arjuna, upon the advice of Krishna, disguised himself as a sage.

Balarama, believing Arjuna to be a sage presented him Subhadra to render him

service. Subhadra consequently fell in love with Arjuna and willingly left

with him. Balarama, thinking His sister was kidnapped, was going to punish

Arjuna. Krishna the greatest architect of flowery words pacified Balarama

and explained to Him what truly happened. (Krishna Book Vol. III, pg. 122)

There came a time when it was inevitable that the two arguing factions of

the Kuru dynasty were going to war. Lord Balarama, not anxious to see the

outcome of this conflict decided to take pilgrimage to all the holy places.

At one such place there was a large sacrifice taking place. Many great sages

were present at this sacrifice and when Lord Balarama approached they rose

and offered Him all due respects. Thereafter they offered Balarama a proper

seat and worshipped Him as the Supreme Lord. All the sages present did this

except Romaharsana, who remained seated on the Vyasasana. Seeing his

impudence Balarama struck him with a single blade of kusa straw and killed

him. Upon seeing the Lord kill Romaharsana, the other sages in attendance

became greatly distressed. They humbly petitioned the Lord saying that they

had bestowed the great boon of long life upon Romaharsana and that the Lord

had caused their benediction to become false. The sages then requested the

Lord to please set an example and atone for the sin He had committed even

though He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead and therefore sinless.

 

Lord Balarama heard the words of the sages and was pleased with them. He

said that the benediction of the father, Romaharsana, should be passed on to

the son, and the Lord also agreed that He would do whatever the sages

suggested that he do in order to atone for the sin. The sages then asked

that He please slay the demon Balvala, who was a great source of anguish for

the sages. After He had performed this task , the sages said that Lord

Balarama should continue his pilgrimage for 12 months. Balarama accepted

what the sages said, and the next time the demon Balvala appeared Balarama

called for His club and His plow. Although the demon was flying here and

there in the air, the Lord swiftly snagged the demon with his plow and

pulling him down He smashed his head with His club. After accepting due

praise from the sages and taking their leave Lord Balarama continued on His

pilgrimage. (Krishna Book)